Academic Matters

Seven Areas of Learning

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum in Reception

EYFS incorporates seven areas of learning, and emphasis is placed on our children being secure in the three Prime areas of learning before they embrace the four Specific areas These are all interconnected with the Characteristics of Effective Learning; Playing, Exploring, Active Learning, Creating and Thinking Critically

Prime Areas

Personal, Social & Emotional Development - Developing selfconfidence and independence while also learning how to be in a group

Communication & LanguageListening and focusing as well as speaking and understanding what is being said

Physical Development - Learning to move and handle equipment, developing control and coordination of their bodies, understanding the ways in which we can keep healthy

Specific Areas

Literacy - Development of reading and writing skills

Mathematics - Numbers, shapes, measuring, counting and quantity

Understanding the WorldExploring the world and community in which we live

Expressive Arts & Design - Being creative, exploring and using different materials, using imagination

Specialist Teaching

Our Reception curriculum is delivered by a team of experienced, passionate class teachers who are responsible for most curriculum areas.

However, your child will also receive specialist teaching for Music, Drama, PE, French and Forest School These sessions will be timetabled on specific days, which you can see on your child's timetable that will be sent to you via SchoolPost at the start of the term.

We pride ourselves on providing a high ratio of teaching staff to children

Teaching assistants support in every class up till Year 4. In Years 5-6, the children work more independently, so this provision is reduced to one teaching assistant per morning per year group. Our teaching assistants are a valuable asset, many with individual talents and skills which they share with the children. Several are even qualified teachers themselves.

Reading

We hear the children read in groups and individually weekly We use ‘Little Wandle' phonics and reading scheme, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry books Teachers support children with their fluency and also focus on comprehension and prosody so that they can deepen their understanding of the material.

Home Reading

All Reception children will choose a book from the Prep School library to share with you each week We strongly encourage parents to read daily with their children to extend their learning Your child will bring a reading book and reading record diary home with them Please complete and sign this by adding any comments for your child to be issued a new reading book

Creative Curriculum

Class teachers bring the curriculum to life with various engaging and purposeful topics, themed activities and projects across all year groups These crosscurricular topics help pupils to discover and appreciate the connection between subjects, giving them a real opportunity to gain a greater depth of knowledge and to inspire their interest in the world around them

Chatterboxes

As a family-focused school, we believe family time is precious and should be cherished, so we set aside one week per term for our special "Family Focus Time " During this week, we only assign spelling and reading homework, allowing families to enjoy quality time together and enjoy the valuable learning opportunities that it presents

Chatterboxes are specially decorated boxes containing various personal items, such as photos, crafts, toys, and other special trinkets, individually curated by each child. By sharing these boxes with teachers and friends, children are encouraged to develop communication and confidence skills, reinforce their learning, and foster self-awareness and self-esteem We will periodically request that the boxes be updated throughout the year to reflect your child's evolving interests

Trips & Outings

School trips are an integral part of the curriculum at Lingfield Prep, and every outing is seen as an opportunity to enrich the children's experiences.

You will be informed about these in advance, and when there is sufficient notice, costs will be added to your school fees account Parents sign an 'Activity Consent Form' when starting Prep School This permission for all activities arranged by the school will remain valid during the course of their time at the School. You may withdraw this consent in writing at any time. Thorough risk assessments are undertaken before taking any children on a trip. Ordinarily, pupils will wear their school uniform or PE tracksuit when attending a trip.

Forest School

Reception children visit our Forest School weekly It has been professionally designed to provide exciting and practical experiences that enable children to better understand the world around them The woodland setting promotes a sense of freedom, and pupils become more relaxed in the open We take great delight in watching them have fun and become more confident.

Stretch & Challenge

Some abilities and talents may be identified when children perform above expectations for their age or if they demonstrate particular strengths or talents. Pupils identified as 'very able' will be offered differentiated learning through extension activities within the classroom and specialist projects. Outside the classroom, various Extension and Enrichment clubs are on offer designed to develop the application and thinking of specific skills and concepts to support pupils' interests and aptitudes in these areas.

Learning Support

Learning Support helps our pupils to maximise their potential and to achieve their learning goals

The school's ethos promotes individualised approaches to learning and positive emotional well-being We recognise that children learn at different rates and have individual needs and learning preferences. We aim to empower all pupils to fulfil their personal, academic and creative goals. At the Prep School, we have the services of a Special Educational Needs Coordinator, Mrs Dickinson, who can be contacted directly by email at dickinsonp@lingfieldcollege.co.uk

Tracking Progess

Assessing children in school involves acknowledging the power of providing positive and constructive feedback to promote a healthy self-image and foster a desire for ongoing learning. Informal testing of the children's learning continuously takes place in Prep School, with formal Maths and English assessments occurring twice a year

Children's attainment levels are tracked and monitored closely to ensure progress is being made In addition, children from Reception onwards are taught how to self-assess their work

Moving Up

We aim to foster a strong sense of community, promote inclusivity and discourage exclusive groups by shuffling pupil classes yearly

During the summer term, our teachers thoughtfully place pupils into their new classes based on their individual needs and strengths All children will have a 'moving up day' where they see their new classroom and meet their classmates and new teacher

We also host annual Transition Information Evenings for parents, which provide important information about the upcoming year